Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-07-15
MR.. BURkE's CORRESPONDENCE
PUERTO CABELLo, VENEZUELA, |
June Z, 1887.

Ny Dear Sir Your esteemed favor of
April 30, and the later one of May 10,
both reached me in due time. Please
consider this an answer to both. 1t is a
source of pleasure for the representative
of the L. S. government at this port to
note the interest YOU manifest in him per-
sonally, and further to note the interest
you feel in Venezuelan affairs in general.
So, without further preliminary, shall
fall to at once on the subjects you wish
held up.
"Are diplomatic relations between this
government and Great Britain suspend
ed" you ask. And again, Are there
British war vessels at this port?" To
the first question my reply is, yes; to the
second. no, not at present. The British
minister was given his passport the lat
ter part of February. \ little later two
vessels of the British squadron. still
cruising in Venezuelan waters | believe,
anchored in the bay at this place for
couple of days. The cause of this state
of things. as the executive of this repub-
lie expressed it in his message to Con-
gress, is an act of usurpation on the part
of the English government in claiming
and occupying a strip of land lying be-
tween this country and British Guiana.
There is portion of land, between the
British colony and Venezuela, regarded
as neutral-a sort of no mans land. But
gradually the neutral spot grew larger,
as gold was found. and the Venezuelan
territory became correspondingly small
er.
When the celebrated Callao gold mines
were discovered and were worked, and
other valuable mines in the vicinity. the
disputed territory, as it is called by the
Salisbury government, grew and grew,
till now. from spot not much larger
than garden patch in size. the territory
claimed by the English government eX-
tends. it is said. as far as the mouth of
the Orinoco northward. and several miles
farther westward than it was originally.
To which nation does the disputed strip
of land belong: Venezuela asserts it i
hers. And from what is known of the
grasping, polite, inscriptions character
of the British government one is inclined
to believe that Venezuela is right.
You ask. docs not the British govern
ment run counter to the Monroe doctrine
in attempting to seize or to occupy the
portion of territory in dispute and i'll so
doing are there not good grounds for in
terposition by our government" 1t
would hardly be appropriate for me to
treat of this question. even were | fully
capable of so doing. | will simply say,
as far as / am informed the decisions
heretofore given, "a you are doubtless
aware. by the State department When
ever occasion has arisen for an express
sion of the views of the department ON
South American difficulties. the decision,
have been averse to any interference
with South American affairs by European
powers. The Monroe doctrine has never
believe, obtained congressional reco%ni-
ton. Yet it is looked upon by the people
of the United States as the affirmation of
principle regarded in a certain measure
as sacred; and of a policy regarded "a
Just and necessary. To neglect TO uphold
the one and to enforce the other, when re-
quired, would by them be considered Il
neglect of duty. 1t seems to me this
question can be settled by going to the
archives of Holland or Spain or both.
The surveys must be there recorded and
the boundaries established. But the opin-
ion seems to be prevalent if the English
government wants any territory or peo-
pie she generally settles the matter by
grasping the one and coercing the other.
regardless of the right or justice of the
case. With her, merit is nothing. right
is nothing, law is nothing; force is ev-
erything.
A word concerning the constitution,
the workings of the government mode
of electing the president of this country
etc., to which your inquiry extended.
Being republic, it is supposed to have
the best form of government that man
has devised. Being the best, however,
doesn't imply that such form is perfect
here any more than elsewhere when es-
tablished. And if some people are tickle,
restless, and sometimes revolutionary, it
isn't the fault of the republican form of
government that they are so; but it is
owing to the changeful habit of their
mind for better or for worse. or it may
be to the maladministratOn of govern
ment officials. With the constitution of
this country no one can find serious OBJ
, lection, at least a believer in democratic
| principles can not, unless it may be said
to be too liberal. Religious liberty, lib
erty of the press, liberty of speech, per-
sonal security, equality of each under the
laval are guaranteed by the consttu-
ton. Capital punishment there is none.
Iha lnnnaSt tarm of imnrisonment- 10